Every delivery workflow should cover each step of that specific process from start to finish. In Onro, workflows are divided into two types: Direct (on-demand, point-to-point) and Hub-Based (Pickup-hub-delivery, Hub-and-spoke).
You use Direct for end-to-end deliveries, where a package is picked up from point A and taken directly to point B without stopping elsewhere (a hub or warehouse) in between. Hub-Based covers Pickup and Delivery, which means the order is picked up, taken to a hub, and then delivered. This makes route optimization essential.
With these two workflows, all types of delivery and courier companies can utilize Onro as their operating system for business.
But how do we decide which workflow type suits us best, whether when starting a courier business or selecting it as an option within Onro? That is the focus of this article.
Direct Delivery Workflow
In the direct delivery workflow, there isn’t a hub, warehouse, or sorting center. You don’t have hub operations. It’s point-to-point which means the operational workflow is:
- The driver collects package(s) from one or more pickup points.
- That driver delivers package(s) to the drop-off location(s) immediately.
In this model, you don’t have sorting and hub operations because you don’t transport packages to a central location through pickup and delivery stages.
So, in which situations do you use this model? Usually when:
- The goods you deliver are food, groceries, or medicine.
- The order is urgent. It can be a document, a flower, or a gift.
- You have an on-demand courier service, or you are a delivery service provider who gives customers a one-hour or even same-day delivery option.
Best Use Cases of Direct Delivery
Some of the best use cases of the direct delivery model are:
- On-demand courier companies, sometimes called same-day delivery services, usually use a point-to-point model. These courier services usually deliver food, groceries, government documents, lab samples, or perishable goods.
- Food marketplaces or restaurants with a fleet. They need a delivery management software to execute the delivery process. They don’t have a sorting process. The most famous business model in this workflow is Uber.
Hub-based Delivery Workflow
In the hub-based workflow, you have a hub, somewhere you use for sorting the parcels. In this operational workflow:
- Your driver collects the parcels from pickup locations and delivers them to your hub.
- Your hub operator(s) sort or consolidate them by zone or based on other criteria.
- Your fleet delivers them to the customers.
In this model, you transport the parcels to a central place between the collection and the delivery process.
So, in which situations do you use the hub-based model? Usually when:
- The order is not urgent. You need at least half a day to collect and half a day to deliver.
- You are a same-day or next-day delivery service provider.
- You only deliver. I mean, you don’t have a pickup process.
- You only pick up. You don’t have a delivery process.
Best Use Cases of Hub-based Delivery
Some of the best use cases of the hub-based delivery model are:
- Parcel courier services. Volume, consolidation, and route efficiency are matters for them.
- E-commerce and retail businesses that handle their transportation by themselves.
- Furniture and large Items delivery, where a truck loads multiple items and delivers to multiple drop-offs.
Direct vs Hub-based: Operational Workflow at a Glance
| Step | Direct Delivery | Hub-Based Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pickup from sender | Pickup from senders |
| 2 | Delivery to receiver | Arrival at Hub |
| 3 | — | Sorting and consolidation |
| 4 | — | Route planning |
| 5 | — | Final delivery |
Final Takeaway
Go with the Direct delivery model if:
- Your orders are urgent, and you have to deliver them to the destination immediately.
- You deliver food, groceries, medicine, flowers, or documents.
- You offer on-demand or same-day (without a hub) courier service.
- You offer multistop delivery but with one pickup point.
Go with Hub-Based delivery model if:
- Orders are not urgent. You deliver on the same-day (with a hub) or next-day, or longer.
- You deliver parcels, e-commerce goods, furniture, or bulk items.
- You plan routes for pickup locations, sort, and plan routes for delivery.
Sometimes it is not easy to determine which workflow fits the business. You are always welcome to schedule an online meeting with our team to see how Onro workflows work for your business.
FAQ
Direct delivery is point-to-point, where a driver picks up a package and delivers it immediately to the customer without using a hub or warehouse. Hub-Based delivery involves a central hub where packages are collected, sorted, and consolidated before final delivery.
Direct delivery is ideal for urgent shipments, perishable goods, or small items that need fast, same-day, or on-demand delivery. Common use cases include food, groceries, medicines, legal documents, flowers, gifts, or lab samples.
Hub-Based delivery is best for non-urgent orders or when volume, route efficiency, and consolidation matter. Typical scenarios include parcel courier services, e-commerce shipments, retail deliveries, and large item or furniture delivery.
In Direct delivery, the driver collects from the sender and delivers directly to the receiver. In Hub-Based delivery, packages are collected from senders, transported to a hub for sorting, then dispatched along optimized routes for delivery to multiple recipients.
Yes. Companies can operate both Direct and Hub-Based workflows. Onro supports both workflows so operators can scale or mix services without disrupting operations.
